Diving and excavating apparatus.



D. T. DEEMER.

DIVING- AND vEXCAVATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION r|LD1uLY\o.1916.

1,228,3O. Patented May 29,1917.

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D. T. DEEIVIER.

DIVING AND ExcAvATlNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I0, I9I6. 1,228,300. Patented May 29, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

D. TL DEEMER.

DIVING AND EXCAVATING APPARAUS.

' APPLICAHON FILED JULY l0 |916. 1 ,228,300 Patented May 29, 1917.

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DIVING AN D EXCAVATING APPARATUS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

PatentedfMay 29, 1917..

Application sied :ruiy 1o, 191e. serial No. 108,529.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DEWEY T. DEEMER, a citizen of the V United States, residing at Hopkins, in the county of Allegan and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Diving and Excavating Apparatus,^of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a diving and excavating apparatus, designed particularly for deep sea explorations, and one ob ject of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be lowered from the surface to a considerable depth, and will eifectually withstand deep sea water pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for raising and lowering the apparatus which also serves as an electric conductor, for the supply of current to one or more contained motors, telephones, etc., whereby diEerent devices may be operated in a ready and convenient manner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the described character which will allow deep sea observations, which embodies a base and a drum or receptacle, adjustable to different observationor working positions,land which is also provided with propelling and excavation devices, and means for freeing the exploring apparatus from its base for elevation to the surface when necessary.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in whichz- Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a diving apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is' a sectional line 3*-3 ofFig. 2.' 4

Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 4 -1 @if Fig. s.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofthe elements of the locking devicesin disassociated relationship.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal, longitudinal section through the excavator.

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

plan view on the Fig. 9 is a view in rearv elevation of the excavator bucket.'

Fig. 10 is a view of the valve mechanism for controlling the supply and exhaust of pressure fluid to and from the bucket operating cylinders.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a supporting base or pedestal 1, including supporting feet 2, which may be of alfixed or adjustable type, and which base is designed to support the apparatus as a. whole above thcrsurface of the ground orbed of a stream in shallow exploration work, or upon the deck'of a submerged vessel when conditions n arey favorable. This base includes a circular' socket or chamber 3, to receive a bottom receptacle 4l, in which is fitted the lower portion of a vertically disposed drum 5 havingan external annular flange 46 to rest upon an internal annular flange 7 on the said bottom receptacle 1. The receptacle .Lgis rotatably mounted within the chamber 3, andis provided with anti-friction rollers 8 to travel upon a track rail 9 upon said socket member, whereby the drum may be turned to face in any desired direction. J ournale'd upon the drum 5 is a pinion 10 driven by 'an electric motor 11 arranged within the drum, which pinion engages rack teeth 12 formed upon the socket 3, whereby rotary motion'may be imparted to the drum 5 by means controlled from the interior of said drum'k to turn it to the desired position. The drum has spaced bottom walls 13 and 1li yin which are rotatably mounted locking members 15 and 16. The locking member 1'5'comprises a tube or sleeve journaled in thewalls 13 and 14 and having a ange 17 vto rest on the wall 14, said tube carrying atits lower end an angular locking head or block 18 and at its upper end an operating*v crank or handle 19. The locking device16'consists of a rod or stem which passes downwardly through and is journaled in the tube 15 and carries at its lower end an angular locking head or block 20 and is angular in form at its upper end to detach'ably receive an angular socket upon-one end of a crank or operating handle 2'1. Formedin the bottom of' the basel is a keeper socket 22 to receive the angular head 20 of the locking member 16, and formed upon the bottom of the receptacle 4f are upper and lower chambered bosses or keeper sockets 23 and 24,

said bosses having their walls provided with angular sockets 25 and 26 arranged at right angles to each other. It will thus be seen that the locking member 15, which eoperated with the socket 24 and its slot or passage 26, is employed for locking the drum 5 to the rotary socket member 4 against independent movement or rotation while the locking member `16 is employed for locking the socket 4 to the base 1, it being understoodA that by disconnecting the handle 21 the drum 5 may be released for upward movement from the socket 4 after the locking device 15 has been adjusted to released position. The purpose of the locking member 15 is to hold the drum fixed normally to the member 4 of thebase, while permitting it to t'urn therewith, and for releasing the drum 5 so that, in the event of the base becoming entangled in wreckage', etc., when submerged, the diver or explorer may detach the drum from the base and send a proper signal to the surface so that the drum maybe hoisted free and clear of the wreckage. The locking device 16 is employed to normally hold the parts 4 and 5 from rotation, while releasing them without disconnection from the base for rotation when desired, which is accomplished by pulling upward on the stem to draw the head -20into the chamber 23, as will be readily understood.

The drum 5 comprises a water-tight cylindrical shell, which may be provided with any suitable water-tight door or closure (not shown) for entrance and exit of the diver, and has its `top wall or head 27 provided with any ordinary or approved form of device 28 fo-r expelling noxious gases and the like. The head 27 is also provided with an eye 28 for connection with one end of a hoisting cable 29, which may be connected with and controlled by suitable hoisting mechanism at the surface. This cable also serves as an electric conductor for the sup-V ply ojf current to the working elements c'of the diving apparatus yand lfor telephonie communication between the interior of the diving shell and the hoisting crew at the surface. ln ther present instance m-ain conductors 30 are shown, from which wires 31 lead to a suitably mounted telephone 32 and other wires 3 3 lead to a suitable construction of distributing switch34, for supplying current to the motor14 and the other motors hereinafter described. rllhe device is designed to be lowered to the proper deptlnand when not lowered Vto the bottom of the body of water will besuspended from the hoisting cable, and it will be understood that when so suspended the weight of the base will be suiiicient to maintain it in fixed position while permitting rotary adjustments of the drum or shell. The drum or shell is provided with a lglass bulls eye or observation lens 35, to enable the diver to look out into the water, and is also provided with a tank or reservoir 36 to contain oxygen for use when needed, and for which maybe substituted an air supply tank or air purifying apparatus. Supported upon the exterior of the device is a propeller 37 driven by a contained motor 38, which propeller may be employed when the device is hanging suspended to force the same through the water, thus aiding those at the surface in moving the submerged apparatus from point to point in a comparatively easier manner.

The device is provided with an externally arranged excavating or exploring tool 39, which comprises aV vertically swinging, pivotally mounted telescopic arm, comprising a sleeve-like outer section 40 and an inner extension 41, the said sleeve section 40 being provided at its inner end with fork arms 42 having angular openings 43 therein receiving the angular portions 44jon a transverse shaft 45, which is thus fixed to the yoke arms, said shafts having end journals 46 engaging bearing openings v`47 in bracket arms 48 fixed to the drum or shell, whereby the sleev`e40is pivotally mounted upon the shell. rlhe sleeve 40 is preferably angular in cross' section, while the extension arm or section 41 thereof is preferably in the shape of an ordinary I beam. This I beam carries at its outer end fork arms 49 which are pivotally engaged by eyes 50 upon the Y relatively movable halvesl or sections 51 and 52 of a clam-shell typelof excavator bucket 53, by means of which the bucket sections 51 and 52 are pivotally supported to swing outwardly and inwardly for opening and closing movements. Journaled en the arms 49 and suitably fixed to the eyes 50 are interL meshing gears 54 adapting,a the bucket sections to open and close to like degrees in unison. l

rlhe extension armV 41 is adapted to be moved longitudinally within the sleeve 40 by controlling mechanism comprising an endless chain 55 which yhas one 'of its stretches fixed to a lug 56 thereon, and said chain passes around suitable guide sprockets 57 journaled withinlthe sleeve and around an actuating sprocket 58 on a hollow or tubular shaft 59 concentric'ally mounted on the shaft 45, which shaft 59 also carries a worm gear' 60 meshing with a worm 61 on a shaft G2 extending through the wall of the drum or shell 5 and operated by an interior electric motor 63 whereby thel hollow shaft may be turned in one direction or the other to communicate motion through 'the chain 55 to slide the arm 41 in or out to shorten or lengthen the excavator in an obvious manner. The bucket sections are adapted to be opened and closed by Huid pressure mechanism comprising cylinders 64 mounted thereon and having pistons 65 operating therein,

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which pistons have their rods or stems extending transversely inwardly to a point in line with the division line between the sections, where said rods or stems are jointed or pivotally connected, as indicated at 66. The opposite ends of each cylinder are connected with the branches of fluid pressure supply and exhaust pipes 67 and 68, the outer ends of the cylinders communicating with the supply branches and the inner ends thereof with the exhaust branches, and the pipes 67 and 68 in turn communicate with ports 69 and 70 in a valve casing 71, having final exhaust ports 72 and 73. This valve casing is in communication with an electrically driven pump 74, which supplies air or otherfluid pressure, and has an inlet port 75 connected with a feed pipe 76 in which is a suitable check valve 77. In the valve casing is a rotary plug valve 78 having a feed passage 79 and opposite exhaust passages 80 and 81, said exhaust passages being adapted, respectively, for coperation with the pipe 67 and port 72 and the pipe 68 and port 73, the valve also having a controlling handle 82 within the drum or shell whereby it may be operated to alternately throw the pipes 67 and 68 into and out of action. The operation of this valve will be readily understood from the foregoing description. On the shaft 45 is a worm gear 83 meshing with a worm 84; on a shaft 85 driven from an electric motor 86, whereby the excavator may be swung upward and downward on its aforesaid pivotal connection with the drum.

In the use of the device it is lowered by the hoisting cable from the surface to the desired depth, and then by means of the rotary adjusting gearing and the propeller the diver may turn the shell to bring the bulls eye to face in any direction or may propel the device horizontally in the water to any working position, either while suspended from the cable or as an assisting adjunct in forcing the device through the water while the cable is being carried forward in the transportation of the submerged apparatus. The weight of the ponderous base of the device is sufficient to insure its submergence to the desired depth, and owing to its weight the base possesses sulfcient resistance to adapt the shell to be rotated thereon. Explorations and investigations may be made while the shell is submerged in an obvious manner, and if its base should become entangled in wreckage or other danger ensue the diver may indicate his danger to the crew at the surface and release the shell so that it may be quickly hoisted. The device will be found of maximum benefit and advantage for use in deep water work where operations can not be carried out by a diver equipped with the usual diving dress or by means of a diving bell, since the construction of the improved device adapts it to be operated at depths of from 1000 to 2000 feet without danger. The apparatus may also be employed to good advantage in locating and disabling mines.

I claim 1. In a diving and excavating apparatus, the combination of a base, a shell detachably and rotatably mounted upon the base, an excavator arm pivotally mounted upon the exterior of the shell and comprising telescopic sections, a bucket carried by said arm and comprising pivoted bucket sections in gear for opening and closing movements, means operative from the interior of the shell for raising and lowering the arm, means operative from the interior of the shell for projecting and retracting the sliding section of the telescopic arm, and means operative from the interior of the shell for opening and closing the sections of the bucket.

2. In a diving and excavating apparatus, the combination of a weighted tbase, a shell detachably and rotatably mounted upon the base, means for rotating the shell upon the base, concentrically mounted locking devices for respectively connecting the shell to and releasing it from the base and locking the shell against rotation, the first-named locking device being adapted to permit rotation of the shell when the second-named locking device is in released position, and excavating means carried by the shell and operated from the interior thereof.

3. In a diving and excavating apparatus, the combination of a base, a shell detachably and rotatably mounted upon the base, an excavator arm pivotally mounted upon the exterior of the shell and comprising telescopic sections, a clam-shell bucket carried by said arm and comprising pivoted bucket sections in gear for opening and closing movements, and electrically operated means for raising and lowering the arm, electrically operated means for projecting and retracting the sliding section of the telescopic arm, and pneumatically operated means for opening and closing the sections of the bucket.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DEWEY T. DEEMER.

Witnesses:

EVERETT GIBSON, CHAs. MoxoN.

Copies of thispatent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

y Washington, D. C. 

